I'd like to start by saying thank you for being here! Photoshoots can be a pretty vulnerable place. Maybe you're booking your first ever professional photoshoot. Maybe this is the last photoshoot you'll do with your dog. Or maybe you've had photoshoots that didn't meet your expectations. Thank you for the support and being a part of our pack of dog obsessed people. Below are some tips and tricks from me: Ellen.
Before your shoot:
The biggest help for us is for your dog to have a stay command. Even just for a few moments. Practice this a couple of days before your shoot and ask your dog to stay while you back up, and while you crouch down in front of them.
Get to your session a little bit early, or plan to walk your dog before their shoot. They are about to have a very exciting 30 minutes of attention and treats, and it helps if they are given the opportunity to decompress before the shoot.
Look through the rest of our blogs and take note of any photos you're obsessed with. Tell us which ones inspired you, and we'd love to help recreate them :)
When thinking about what to wear, take into account the climate first. We want you to be comfortable! If it's winter and you don't want to wear a full coat, add a base layer to keep you warm. Dressing seasonally is important! Typically we notice that clients will either go full dressy, or an elevated casual. We always recommend avoiding busy patterns. While we can't accommodate an outfit change during our 30 minute sessions, we can definitely accommodate different dog outfits. Don't be afraid to bring a bandana or second collar.
Send us an email if your dog has any special accommodation requests, due to nervousness, reactivity, or aggression. You can check out this blog post for more information on how we approach sessions with nervous or reactive dogs: Photographing Your Dog: Tips for Bringing Out Your Best Friend's True Personality
Here are some of my favorite poses:
During your shoot:
We will match the energy you bring. If the energy is one of reflection and peace, our energy will meet you there. If it's one of silly, hectic, zoomie energy, we will elevate that. Regardless of where you're at, this is a very safe, dog obsessed space for you to show us just how much you love your dog. From crying in grief to crying because your dog is hilarious, the more you lean into whatever you're feeling, the more you'll love your photos. Please inform us ahead of your session if we will be celebrating their life together. There are a few special photos we like to take during these sessions to make sure you have every detail of your best friend forever. I lost my best friend in April of 2024 and wrote about the experience with our celebration of life shoot here: Celebration of Life Sessions: What to Expect and How to Prepare.
If your dog isn't listening perfectly or is being a little more silly than they normally are, that's okay!! There is no need to feel anxious or feel the need to apologize. This could be your dog's FIRST time getting their photo taken and being stared at by a stranger can be exciting or intimidating to any dog. We plan our 30 minute sessions to give us plenty of time to troubleshoot what works best for your dog.
If your dog has a hard time off leash, it's totally okay to keep them on leash! We edit leashes out of any photos of your dogs by themselves. We love the silly off leash moments too, but if your dog struggles with recall, both for their safety, other people's safety, and utilizing your session time to the fullest potential, we ask that they stay leashed. We will always leave this up to you. :)
Below are some of my favorite moments, from dogs being silly, to a more emotional moment; we're here to capture it all:
What to expect after your shoot:
Standard turn around time for photos is 3-4 weeks. We will email your gallery to you for you to pick your favorite photos from. We deliver at minimum 75 photos, and sometimes more. You're able to choose 15 photos included in your session fee, and can choose more or all of them.
We ALWAYS post sneak peeks in our instagram to hold you over until your gallery is delivered. Be sure to include your instagram handle when you book if you want to be tagged and notified when yours gets posted.
Be prepared to be obsessed with your photos. We see when you order large format wall prints or tiny wallet prints to carry with you, and we fully support the energy.
Expect to be welcomed into the best pack of dog obsessed people ever.
Here are some of my favorite photos with my dogs from 2023:
